indiana's

Direct Service Workforce

Partner: State of Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA)
Time Frame: January 2022 – June 2024

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Quantifying Indiana's Essential Direct Service Workers

From 2021-2024, the State of Indiana, with the criticial support of  the Bowen Center, developed a strategic plan to reform its long-term services and support (LTSS) system, focusing on home and community-based services. The initiative addressed critical workforce challenges, particularly among direct service workers (DSWs) who provide hands-on care to elderly and disabled individuals. Despite minimal entry barriers, these physically demanding roles faced high turnover and retention issues due to low wages, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the first state to create a comprehensive DSW Strategic Plan, Indiana partnered with the Bowen Center to align policies and investments that would strengthen this essential workforce while ensuring quality care for vulnerable populations.

Below, you can download the Indiana Direct Service Workforce Plan developed by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration alongside the Bowen Center, or continue scrolling to see data highlights and deep dive on other documents related to this initiative.

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↓ keep scrolling for data highlights and a complete list of all project documents ↓

Data Highlights

As part of Indiana’s Direct Service Workforce Plan, developed by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration in conjunction with the Bowen Center, a comprehensive survey was conducted to gauge interest in career development among Indiana’s direct service workforce, and to identify challenges faced by these workers in the state. The data below are the results of that survey, and provide a valuable snapshot of Indiana’s direct service workforce.

age and education of indiana's direct service workforce

survey responses

592

average age

47 years

career and development goals of indiana's direct service workforce

Important Job Factors for Indiana HCSPs
Job Factor Percent
Pay/hourly rate/salary 83.5%
Flexible hours scheduling 45.5%
Benefits - paid sick leave/wellness leave 45.1%
Supportive supervisor or management 42.8%
Benefits - paid time off 33.0%
Benefits - health insurance 29.0%
Retirement benefits 26.1%
Regular or less hours 19.8%
Opportunity for advancement 19.6%
Training or education offered 18.4%
Supportive co-workers 17.9%
Benefits - dental insurance 16.3%
Benefits - vision insurance 13.6%
Staff appreciation activities 11.5%
Benefits - life insurance 6.5%
Benefits - paid transportation or transportation subsidies or assistance 6.3%
Lighter workload 5.0%
Benefits - disability insurance 4.4%
Other 4.2%
Different assignments 3.8%
Benefits - bereavement pay 3.3%
Benefits - childcare 2.5%
Housing stipend, support, or assistance 2.5%
Benefits - elder care 1.9%

All of the above data comes from the HCSP Career Interest Survey: Key Findings document, which can be downloaded here or in the library below. 

Direct Service Workforce Project Library

See all documents associated with the project below. Or, check out all of Bowen’s hundreds of other data reports, briefs, and other projects on the Bowen Library page, sortable by topic, year, workforce, and more.

Indiana DSW Plan Strategy Session

Indiana DSW Tasks and Roles Table

Indiana DSW Regulatory Review: Inventory of Findings

Indiana Direct Service Workforce Plan

Training and Pathways Action Group: Umbrella Terminology and Definitions

Indiana Direct Service Workforce Report

Home and Community Support Professionals: Core Competencies

State Competency and Definition Comparison

State Direct Service Workforce Training Parameters Research

HCSP Career Interest Survey

HCSP Career Interest Survey: Key Findings

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Dive in to Indiana health workforce data on the Bowen Blog. 

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